Children’s Express reports 1,100 incidents of abuse
Five hundred and sixty-six children died, and 277 others were raped in the past two months across the country, according to a report published by the Children’s Express, a newly formed child news agency, on Saturday.(The Daily Star)
More than 1,100 incidents of child abuse took place during the period, says the report prepared on the basis of news items published in 12 national and 195 local newspapers in May and June.
During the period, the report says 151 children were kidnapped, 417 killed in accidents, 107 trafficked, and 103 committed suicide, and 17 others were the victims of acid attacks.
A child journalist read out the report at an exchange of views with the editors of national dailies at the National Press Club.
The report says many incidents of child abuse, occurring in remote areas every day, remain unpublished. ‘That’s why child abusers are taking the advantage of carrying out brutal torture on children, and no scope is available to bring the perpetrators to justice.’
Stressing on publishing more reports and articles on children, speakers urged children to get involved in writing.
Acknowledging that child issues are not covered sufficiently, the Bangladesh Observer editor, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, said there is a need of publishing a specialised newspaper on children.
Channel-I news editor, Shah Alamgir, supported his view, saying that a children magazine would be financially viable.
The daily Independent joint editor, Zakaria Siraji, urged the benevolent citizens to come forward for establishing such media entity.
In reply to child journalists’ question about why children are not allowed to write news on them, the Sangbad executive editor, Manzurl Ahsan Bulbul, indicated practical difficulties in this regard, and advised children to have ‘good basic education’ to become good journalist.
The Unicef assistant communication officer, Rezwanul Alam, said Children’s Express, launched two months ago in cooperation with Mass-Line Media Centre, took the initiatives to train 640 children as journalist to write on issues including child rights, child labour, acid attack, and child education.
The project will continue until December, and Unicef plans to launch a Children Television Foundation by next month, he added.
The Children’s Express from its reporters has received 40 reports, a number of which had already been published in newspapers.
The Daily Star